Vermont man accused of killing NH school trustee in hotel

Prosecutors say Danville man stabbed woman in hotel lobby

Jan. 29, 2013

Rodney Hill of West Danville is escorted during his arraignment in District Court in Littleton, N.H., on Tuesday. Hill was charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing of Catherine 'Kitty' Houghton. / AP Photo/Caledonian-Record, Paul Hayes

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LITTLETON, N.H. — A Vermont man stabbed to death a 70-year-old California woman who was a trustee at a private school and a retired business counselor with the U.S. Commerce Department in a random attack in the lobby of a New Hampshire hotel where both were staying, the authorities say.

Rodney A. Hill, 37, of 58 Howard Road in West Danville, was arraigned Tuesday in Littleton District Court. He made no plea to the charges and is being held without bail.

Hill is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the death of Catherine “Kitty” Houghton, 70, a pilot, volunteer and trustee of Bethlehem’s White Mountain School, her alma mater. She was keynote speaker at the 110-student private school’s 2011 commencement and was in town for a meeting of the board.

“The world has lost a truly bright light,” said Tim Breen, head of school. “Kitty was a trustee, a classmate, a friend and an inspiration to us all.”

Prosecutors at the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office did not disclose a motive for the stabbing that occurred shortly before 9 p.m. at the Hampton Inn, at 580 Meadow St., where Houghton, of Novato, Calif., had been staying.

“At this point in time there was no connection between the two, and it was random,” she said. Morrell declined to comment about whether an altercation preceded the attack.

Littleton is a community of 4,000 just west of the White Mountains National Forest in northwest New Hampshire, near the Vermont border. Its last killing was in 1999.

Police in Littleton responded to several 911 calls and encountered Hill outside the hotel, where he was taken into custody, prosecutors said.

Police entered the hotel to find Houghton inside and suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was taken to Littleton Regional Hospital, where she died.

Hill, in handcuffs and leg irons and wearing a gray sweatsuit, was led into Littleton District Court on Tuesday by Littleton police and state troopers. Hill appeared calm. He was represented by public defender Marcie Hornick.

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The relationship between Houghton and Hill is being investigated, but it is believed they did not know each other.

Morrell would not say if Hill was under the influence of alcohol or drugs or if he suffers from a mental illness.

An autopsy on Houghton was conducted Tuesday at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Concord. Morrell said it was undetermined how many times she had been stabbed.

Each murder count carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

'Adventurous spirit'

Houghton, a 1960 graduate of White Mountain School, had been in town for board of trustees meetings and had been scheduled to sing during a rehearsal for the school’s a cappella group Tuesday evening, said Rob Constantine, the school’s director of advancement.

Houghton had stayed an additional day in Littleton, he said.

“The entire White Mountain School is deeply saddened by Dr. Houghton’s death,” Breen said at a news conference outside the school Tuesday afternoon.

“She will long be remembered for her kindness, her keen intellect, her love of music, and her adventurous spirit,” he said. “She lived life to the fullest, pursuing each next step with curiosity and joy. Through her words, actions and deeds she has inspired countless others to do the same.”

Houghton was a strong student and athlete, and her love of music, mountains and friends she made at the school — then known as St. Mary’s of the Mountains — continued to play a prominent role in her life, he said.

Houghton held master’s and doctorate degrees from Stanford University, had served in the Peace Corps in Nepal and worked as an international officer for Bank of America before joining the global business arm of the Commerce Department — often working under the auspices of the U.S. Foreign Service at embassies worldwide, according to a tribute posted on the White Mountain School’s website.

She spent most of her career as a business counselor in the global business arm of the U.S. Foreign Service, traveling to Columbia, Austria, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Germany and Canada, said Breen, the White Mountain School’s head.

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Houghton spoke 14 languages, he said, and she was fluent in Bengali, French, German, Mandarin, Nepali and Spanish. She remained an avid hiker, skier and musician after retiring, Breen added.

She also obtained a private pilot license and volunteered for Angelflight, a nonprofit providing air transportation and supply for financially distressed people in medical need, and for Lighthawk, a nonprofit providing air transportation for conservation organizations.

“She firmly believed that today’s youth deserve the same quality of education and depth of experience in academics, the arts and the natural world that she received while a high-school student at St. Mary’s,” Breen said.

Houghton returned to her alma mater to become a school trustee in 2010.

“She’s a great example of a graduate and what we aspire to as a school: to create young men and women who will go out and make the world a better place,” Breen said, adding that her membership on the board “was her way of giving back.”

During the commencement address she delivered in 2011, Houghton challenged the graduates to cultivate an open mind and learn from bad experiences.

“Try to have fun, whatever you are doing,” she said. “Stay as informed as you can be. Don’t be afraid to be different. You can even be revolutionary without harming others.”

Hotel extends condolences

Employees at the hotel Tuesday would not discuss the stabbing.

Brett Loehr, its director of operations, issued a brief statement extending condolences to the victim’s family and saying staff is cooperating with investigators.

Hill’s wife, Amy, did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment. She is a senior editor of SportsField Management Magazine, published by Moose River Publishing in St. Johnsbury. The publishing company’s vice president for finance, Sharon Ferland, declined to comment.

A business called Hillside Welding and Mechanical Repairs is registered to Hill’s West Danville address.

Morrell, the New Hampshire prosecutor, said she didn’t have much background information about him.